Rock N Read program donates to Mercy Medical Center

The Rock N Read program delivered a donation of 40 rocking chairs and book baskets to benefit Mercy Regional Medical Center’s Mercy Resource Mothers Program on Dec. 7 at 3700 Kolbe Ave. in Lorain.

The Rock N Read program was established by the late Anne Godlewski, a kindergarten teacher at Lorain’s Admiral King Elementary. Godlewski, 56, died suddenly on Feb. 7, 2017, after suffering an aneurysm.

Anne’s husband Tom Godlewski and her daughter Meg Godlewski have carried on her dream of providing rocking chairs and books to young children.

Forty handcrafted rocking chairs from Graftonbased Wukie Furniture and Interiors were delivered along with baskets filled with books in English and Spanish were delivered to Mercy to the program which assists new and expectant mothers.

“It was local and Tom came out and asked. We really appreciate anything that can stay within Lorain County,” said Rick Fritz of Wukie Furniture. “We are really blessed to be a part of it. It worked out real well. We picked out the style and we picked out the stains and then we found someone down there who could do the etchings on them. It came full circle.”

Tom relayed Anne’s vision recalling her belief that as a kindergarten teacher, the importance of bonding and exposure to reading in the classroom was instrumental in a child’s development.

“It started just as a simple thought. Anne planned on retiring after next year (2018) and instead of just deciding where she wanted to go on vacation after a few she said, ‘you know Tom, I want to start a charity.’ That came out of left field,” Tom said.

The Mercy Resource Mother’s Program was established in 1993 and provides support, guidance and resources to new and expectant mothers. Program director Beth Finnegan said the organization currently supports 200 mothers and provides an additional referral services to 1,500 people in Lorain County.

While working with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lorain County they suggested to Tom about contacting the Resource Mother’s Program and donating the handcrafted rocking chairs and books.

“The reason the Boys and Girls Clubs connection came about is because when Anne passed away she wanted money to go to donations to the Boys and Girls Clubs instead of flowers. And every week I was taking checks to the Boys and Girls Clubs. And they said it was the largest single donation in the organization’s history other than corporations. They said ‘hey, I think I know someone who could use your chairs,’ ” Tom said.

Finnegan was thrilled in accepting the generous donation and said she looks to being able to continue improving their programs and services.

“I sent a message over there. Thank you for thinking of us. I like it how Lorain County takes care of each other’s agencies and organizations and the people in the county. What would you do if we didn’t have someone like Tom,” Finnegan said. “It’s about education. We want to empower the mom and we want them to learn what to do to take care of their babies and be a part of a healthy community. So If we start with the babies just think about what’s that going to do.”

Fighting back tears, Tom is committed to an ongoing partnership with the Resource Mother’s Program for years to come.

“It’s all for the right reasons and it was meant to be. We were really glad to do this,” Tom said.